This invention relates in general to an electrode and in particular to an electrode used for excision of suspected abnormal human tissue.
Using electrodes to remove tissue from a human or other animal are known. A laser beam may be used in this process. When using such a beam, a guiding tubular structure can be employed to direct the beam to the desired location where it may be deflected by a deflection member. This action can allow the laser beam to sweep in a conical configuration. Another electro-surgical instrument used for excision of a tissue finds particular use in the transformation zone of the uterine cervix. In that particular instrument a stop arm is used.
Still another type of related instrument is referred to as a cone biopsy instrument and has a cuff of electrical insulating material, a core positioned within the cuff having an electrical conductor, a wire carrier of electrical insulating material with projecting arms, an electrically conducting wire connected between a wire carrier arm and the core, an implant sleeve freely rotating on the swaged portion of the core between the wire carrier and tip, and a cervical guide tip of electrical insulating material carried on the core. Another type of instrument is entitled an endocervical conization electrode apparatus. This instrument is used for excising a tissue specimen from a uterine cervix having a substantially constant section. In that instrument an electrode is used for excising tissue and has an extension member.
Still another common type of electrode currently being used to remote tissue is the loop electrode excision procedure (LEEP). With the LEEP, loops of various shapes and sizes, at least nine, are used. These loops may be different sizes and semicircular in shape with different radiuses, or the loops may be rectangular in shape and different sizes. Specific sizes and shapes are employed depending on the depth of the tissue to be removed and the width of the removed tissue. The size and location of the tissue to be removed and the size of the patient""s cervix are also factors considered in selecting the particular loop used in the LEEP.
In the present invention, one instrument is used to replace the many different sizes and shapes of loops used in the LEEP for excision of tissue with various widths and depths of abnormalities.
Using electrodes for excising tissue from a human or other animal is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,124 to Menton discloses an electrode for excising tissue which has a hollow tube through which a laser beam can be passed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,159 to Fischer discloses an electrode for excising tissue which has a stop arm which is positioned at a right angle to the electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,663 to Kim discloses an electrode for excising tissue which has a plurality of radially projecting arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,550 to Shirley et al. discloses an electrode for excising tissue which has an extension member extending radially from the electrode.
The present invention is directed to an electrode for excision of tissue from the cervix and which can be rotated 360 degrees at one end, all as will be detailed in the specification that follows hereafter.
This invention relates to an electrode for the excision of tissue from the cervix. The electrode, at one end, has a fine wire which can be rotated 360 degrees and which can be varied depending on the size of the cervix and the size of the lesion. This enables a single instrument to remove lesions, instead of using different sized instruments.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for an improved electrode for the excision of tissue.
Another object is to provide for such an electrode that is designed for use in the cervix and which allows different sized cervixes and different sized lesions to be treated with the same instrument.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to readers from a consideration of the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings.